Thirty-five years ago, President George H.W. Bush stood on the South Lawn of the White House and declared, “Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.” With the stroke of his pen, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became the most transformative civil rights legislation for Americans with disabilities in our nation’s history. He called it “an end to the unjustified segregation and exclusion of persons with disabilities,” and in doing so, he gave us more than a law—he gave us visibility, legitimacy, and hope. Today, over 61 million Americans live active and independent lives.
As someone who has lived with a disability for my adult life and worked at the intersection of policy, education, and accessibility, I’ve seen firsthand the impact of the ADA. Before it, the world wasn’t just indifferent—it was designed to exclude. Sidewalks were impassable. Buses and buildings were inaccessible. Discrimination in employment was legal and widespread. Life was dictated by physical and even more formidable attitudinal barriers. The ADA began to dismantle that “ugly wall of discrimination,” brick by brick. It gave me—and millions like me, the legal tools to pursue an education, meaningful work, and full participation in community life. Personally, I’ve been privileged to serve as a university faculty member, an author, a consultant, and a two-time presidential and seven-time gubernatorial appointee. None of that would have been possible without the foundation of the ADA.